Abstract

AGBIJI, Obaji M.. Religion and ecological justice in Africa: Engaging 'value for community' as praxis for ecological and socio-economic justice. Herv. teol. stud. [online]. 2015, vol.71, n.2, pp.01-10. ISSN 2072-8050.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/HTS.V71I2.2663.

This article embarked on a critical evaluation of religious leadership and ecological consciousness in Africa, using the case of the Nigerian Christian religious community. The article argued that the concept of ecological justice lacks strong theological conceptualisation in the Nigerian ecclesiastical community. Therefore, Ime Okopido's argument in favour of stewardship for the involvement of religious leadership in the pursuit of ecological and socioeconomic justice served as the starting point for this engagement. However, such engagement of the religious leadership and of the faithful should include developing ecological theological concepts, such as value for community, which are relevant to the context and resonate with indigenous cultures. Embarking on ecological activism, a change of lifestyles and finding other concrete ways of protecting the environment and biodiversity could ameliorate the crisis of ecological and socio-economic injustice in Africa by promoting, in particular, the praxis of value for community.

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